Golf machine



2 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

G. L.. THOMPSON GOLF MACHINE Filed Feb. 3, 1934- Oct. 22, 1935.

Oct. 22, 1935. G, L. THOMPSON GOLF MACHINE Filed Feb. 5. 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Glenn I .hnTnPsnn BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICEI GOLF MACHINE Glenn L. Thompson, Chicago, Ill., assignor` of forty-nine one-hundredths to Michael Gr. Lisak,

Chicago, Ill.

'Ihis invention relates to a golf machine, and particularly to a mechanism to enable persons interested in improving their game to practice driving, and to become procient therein. In this connection, the player must usually drive the ball true and straight toward its objective. It is desirable, therefore, in practicing the drive stroke that the machine indicate departures from a good drive, such as a hook, or a slice, so as to enable the player to determine what is wrong in his technique, or style of play and consequently take appropriate measures to correct his play.

Accordingly, the objects of the invention are to provide an improved golf practice machine; to provide a machine embodying mechanism that will accurately register a hook or a slice; to provide a machine that will indicate yardage or theoretical distance of the ball driven; and lastly, but of the greatest importance, to provide an ingenious means for mounting the ball member that is to be struck by the driving golf club.

Other objects will, of course, become obvious to those skilled in this art, as the disclosure is more fully made.

Briefly, these desirable objects may be achieved in providing a base carrying a lever to which is connected, in a novel manner, a golf ball or appropriate ball member carried in a position approximating the usual height from which a golf ball is driven in the actual game of golf. This lever not only swings pivotally when the ball is struck, but also can turn left or right about its lengthwise axis. The lever includes a member utilizing such turning movement to actuate mechanism and an indicator to show a hook or a slice. Further, the lever is connected with mechanism to register yardage in accordance with the force of impact of a club on the ball. Of course, other features of construction are involved, but for the present, so much will suice to'give a general understanding of the invention.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings illustrating a practicable form of the invention:

Figure 1 is a general plan view of the improved golf machine;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal and substantially central, sectional view through the machine;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view through the machine as seen along theA section line 3-3 appearing in Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional View thro-ugh the vmachine as seen along the section line 4-4 appearing in Figure 2 looking in the direction of thearrows;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view through the machine as seen along the section line 5 5 appearing in Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows; and,

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view through the 5 machine as seen along the section line 6 6 appearing in Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

As shown Vin the drawings, the body of the machine comprises a shallow box IIl of appro- 10 priate shape so that it will rest stably on a iloor or other level surface, where the machine is to be used. The box I0 has a flat horizontal top II which at its front end, or to the left as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, is slotted along the longitudinal l5 wise axis in the sleeve I3 is a cylindrical rod- 25" like member l'I having its lower end I8 reduced to form a shoulder seated on a coil spring I9 encircling the reduced portion I8 as shown. The spring I9 is held in the lower end of the sleeve I3 in any appropriate manner. The upper end of the member I 1 is also reduced and threaded as at 20 so that a ball element 2I having a substantially spherical metal core 22 may be securely but detachably attached to the upper 35 end of the shank 20 as appears best in Figure 2.

A rubber plate or mat 23 overlies the top II and has a recess 24 in its front edge to provide a space for movement of the parts I3 and I'I which together constitute the ball carrying lever, or sup- 40 port.

The part I'I has secured to it a forwardly extending trip 25 which moves with the part I1 and extends ahead through an appropriate slot 2B formed in the sleeve part I3. This trip is formed with a notch 2'IV for a purpose later to appear. Mounted in the forward portion of the box and on each side of the passageway I2, and in alinement transversely, is a pair of rock shafts 28 (see Figures 2 and 3) having their adjacent inner 50 ends bent to form cranks 29, while connected to the outer end of each shaft is a pad lever 30 made fast to the respective shafts 28. Each shaft 28 adjacent the crank 29 thereon carries fast thereon an indicator or target member 3l which op- 55 erates under openings 32 respectively formed in the top II of the box on each side thereof.

The cylindrical member I4 has trunnions I 4a at 'each end thereof which are journaled in brackets 33, as shown best in Figure 4, said brackets V33 being cushioned by being mounted on rubber blocks 34. Rearwardly of the cylinder |4 theracks I6 merge into a solid slide member having an upturned rear end 35 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, said slide member operating under a hold down plate 36 having a rubber facing 31 on its .back side for cooperation with the front edge of the upturned portion 35. The rear'face of the portion 35 is formed with a rearwardly ex-` tending cylindrical shank 38 carrying a cushion spring 39 whose other end is mounted on an alined shaft 40 slidably mounted in a bracket 4| suitably secured to the floor of the box III.

On the lrear side of the bracket 4I the slide shaft 49 has secured thereto a block 42 which in turn has secured to it a ratchet bar 43 that can slide through a passageway formed in the bracket -II I as shown in Figure 5. Toward its rear end the bar 43 is formed with gear teeth 44 in mesh with a small gear 45 formed on a Vertical shaft 46 journaled in the box I0. Above-the gear 45 the top I|`of the box l0 is recessed as shown in Figure 6, said shaft 45 projecting upwardly thereinto to carry an indicator needle 41 operating over a dial plate 48 marked off to show yards of drive.

The rear end of the slide shaft 40 is carried in a bracket 49 and made fast to the rear end of the shaft 40 in back of the'block 49 is a block 5I] connected securely to the rear end of the rack bar 43. A cushion spring 5| may be located between the Vrear end of this structure and the rear wall ofthe box as shown in Figure 1.

The front bracket 4| carries a spring pressed dog 52 to engage in the ratchet teeth on the bar 43. A lever 53 is provided to be operated from Vthe top of the box I 0 to release the spring pressed dog 52 from the ratchet teeth on` the bar 43. A spring 54 encircles the rear end of the shaft 40 between the bracket 49 and a nut 55 is threadedly mounted on the shaft to enable the compression of the spring 54 to be adjustably set. The use and operation of the machine will now be described. Y

The player who is to use the machine stands in Vthe proper position to strike the ball 2| which is shown inV Figures l and 2 Vin the normal or starting position.V If the ball is properly struck for a straight and true drive without any hook or slice, then the-lever I1, I3 will pivot forwardly, T causing the gearstructure I5 to drive the rack structureIG toward the rear. Thus the part 35 Y pushesagainst the cushionpspring 39 which is Y relatively light, until the lost motion space between the shank 38 and the front end of `the shaft 49Vis taken up. -Thus the shank 38 abuts the shaft 40 and drives itfback and as a result the blocks 42 and 50 which are secured to the shaft` 40 are caused to carry the bar 43 back. Thus the gear rack V474 drives thegear 45 and Y shaft 45 to moveY the indicator needle 41. When If the ball 2| is no-t squarely hit and a spin is imparted thereto by the driving golf club, then the lever I1, I3 pivots forwardly as before', but in addition the portion I1 of the lever is caused to turn one way or the other about its lengthwise 5 or a slice. Thus, the trip 25 strikes a crank 29 to rock the connected shaft 28 which brings a target 3| into display position under the opening 32 adjacent which is a marking to indicate hook or slice. The notch 21 in the trip 25 engages under l5 the sleeve I3 to lock under pressure -from the Vspring I9 so that the trip is held in position to engage a crank 29. Thus the target 3| will be locked in display position and held thereby a spring 29a until the player releases the same by operating 20 the appropriate lever 30. The indicator 41 is, of course, also operated in the way previously described to show yardage in accordance with the forceof impact on the ball 2|.

` The rubber blocks 31 prevent excessive jar or 25 pounding when the parts are restored to playing position under the force of the spring 54. The lost motion or take up space between the shank 38 and shaft 4D is important as it cushions the contact of the club with the ball and permits the 80T player to carry or follow through in his swing with the assurance that the club will not be broken no matter how hard he strikes the ball.

The mounting of the ball 2| on the lever structure is of the utmost importance to the proper 85 working of the machine. -The ball, due to its special hard core 22, is securely held on the lever part I1. Further, the lever part I1 turns freely in the sleeve part I3 to enable registering a twist causing slice or hook in the drive. In the event 40 the ball is topped, the downward force imparted to the ball mounting is absorbed by the spring I9 and the rubber blocks 34 in an obvious manner, to prevent any possible damage to the ball mounting under such a condition. Because of Y the 45 threaded connection 20 a badly cut or chipped ball can quickly be removed and replaced.

From this disclosure it will now be seen that an improved golf machine has been provided which achieves all ofthe desirable objectsheretofore recited.

It is the intention to cover herein all such changes and modifications of the example herein chosen for purposes of illustration a-s do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention 55 as hereinafter claimed. g f

. What is claimed is: .Y

l. In a golf machine, a body, a lever swingably carried by the body, and support means included in the lever to carry a ball, said support means being mounted'for turning movement about its lengthwise axis with the ballindependently lof the lever.

2. In a golf machine, a body, a sleeve pivotally mounted in the body, a ball supporting member movable with the sleeve and independently turnable therein, and a ball on said supporting member. i

3. In a golf machine, a pivotally mounted normally upright elongated sleeve, a ball support rockably mounted in the sleeveand movable therewith when it pivots, and cushion means to enable the sleeve'and support to havev relative up and down movement.

4. In a golf machine, a pivotally mounted ball support, said support also being turnable about its axis, a hook and slice indicating mechanism, and a trip on the support, said trip operating said indicating mechanism.

5. In a golf machine, a movably mounted ball support, hook and slice indicating means, means comprising a trip on the support to operate the indicating means directly from the support, means associated with the trip to lock the indicating means in indicating position, and means to release the lock means.

6. A golf machine comprising a body, an elongated ball support associated with the body for turning movement axially of its lengthwise axis, rockable hook and slice indicators adjacent the support and carried by the body, and means directly engageable between the indicators and support to set the indicators in indicating position when the support turns.

7. A golf machine comprising a body, an elongated ball support associated with the body for turning movement axially of its lengthwise axis, a trip movable with the support, and rockable hook and slice indicators including cranks adjacent the support and carried by the body, said trip being directly engageable with the cranks to set the indicators in indicating position when the support turns.

8. In a golf machine, a horizontal body, an ,elongated normally substantially upright ball support associated with the body, and means whereby said -support may have pivotal movement, turning movement about its lengthwise axis, and bodily up and down axial movement.

9. In a golf machine, a horizontal body, an elongated normally substantially upright ball 5 support pivotally connected adjacent its lower end to the body, and means whereby in addition to pivoting, the support may rock about its lengthwise axis and move bodily up and down.

10. In a golf machine, a movably mounted substantially upright elongated ball support, hook and slice indicating register elements associated with the machine for movement from non-registering to registering positions, said ball support having rocking movement about its lengthwise axis and including a member movable therewith to move one or the other of the register elements into registering position.

11. In a golf machine, a horizontal body, an elongated substantially upright ball support associated with the body for pivotal swinging movement, rockable movement about its lengthwise axis and bodily translational movement about its lengthwise axis, means to cushion the bodily movement thereof, yardage indicating mechanism, reciprocatory means to operate said indicating mechanism, said last means being operated by the pivotal swinging movement of the support.

GLENN L. THOMPSON. 

